Distributor structure package



June 1958 v. E. M CARTY DISTRIBUTQR STRUCTURE PACKAGE Filed June 21, 1956 INVENTOR. Var/e E. McCarty BY Attorney United States Patent DISTRIBUTOR STRUCTURE PACKAGE Verle E. McCarty, Markleville, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application June 21, 1956, Serial No. 592,796

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-46) The present invention relates to distributors and more particularly to replacement breaker point assemblies for use in a distributor.

It is well known that distributor breaker points frequently require replacement. The present invention is directed to service replacement breaker point assembly which may be installed in a distributor with a minimum of labor and which assembly can be installed without disturbing the factory adjustments which are made to assure the proper operation of the breaker points after installation in a distributor.

Heretofore when the points of the distributor were replaced it was necessary for the mechanic to first disconnect the condenser lead wire, the primary ignition lead wire and the breaker lever spring from a single attachment point before the part supporting the stationary contact and the breaker lever which supports a movable contact were removed from the pivot post. The pivot post is carried by the breaker plate which is supported for rotation in the distributor. When the new parts were installed in the distributor, the above procedure is reversed. It can be appreciated difficulties were frequently encountered when the breaker arm spring, the condenser lead wire, and the primary ignition circuit lead were assembled on a common bolt for the tension on the spring constantly opposed the connection. Further not only was this connection diflicult to establish but frequently the breaker lever spring was distorted during installation, and the factory preset spring tension was disturbed. This results in improper action or excessive wear of the distributor parts as follows: When the spring is distorted to exert excessive pressure, then rapid rubbing block, cam and contact wear will occur while insufficient pressure will permit high speed bounce which will, in turn, cause arcing and burning of the points and missing of the engine.

It is an object therefore to provide a replacement breaker assembly for a distributor which can be readily installed in a distributor without disturbing the factory setting of the breaker lever spring.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a breaker point assembly with a means which will hold the points of a distributor in aligned engagement prior to their installation in a distributor. This object is accomplished by providing an annulus with an inner opening sized simultaneously to embrace both the stationary and movable contact and maintain them in alignment while the service part is transported and installed in a distributor.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the replacement parts of the type used in the present invention as mounted on a breaker plate of a distributor.

2,839,186 Patented June 17,,1958

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the service replacement parts before assembly in the distributor plate in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the means for maintaining alignment between the contact points of the service parts during shipment and installation on the breaker plate shown in Fig. 1.

While the means for maintaining the contact points in alignment may be used with any suitable breaker point assembly; for the purposes of explanation, the service replacement set which will be herein described is particularly suited for use in a distributor as set forth in the U. S. patent to Arthur, 2,348,236, which has been assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

As set forth in the patent, the distributor breaker plate assembly includes a stationary plate 20 which is secured by lugs 22 to the inner walls of the distributor. The movable plate 24 which is rotated on plate 20 has a pivot pin 25 secured thereon in a predetermined position relative to a distributor cam, not shown. Located in a predetermined position on plate 24 are the pair of raised portions 28 and a threaded opening 30. These raised portions 28 and threaded opening 30 are used to position and secure an ignition condenser, not shown, on plate 24. A cam lubricator may also be mounted on plate 24. This cam lubricator preferably consists of a nylon yoke 32 which is formed as shown so it may be secured in a pair of spaced openings in the plate 24. This yoke 32 will embrace and maintain an oil impregnated wick 34 in position so the edge 36 of the Wick engages the, distributor cam to constantly cause the surface of the cam to be coated with a lubricant.

The service part assembly which is positioned on the breaker plate 24 is shown in Fig. 2. This service part assembly includes a support 38 for the stationary contact 4t and a breaker arm assembly 42.

The support 38 is formed to have two upstanding flanges 44 and 46 and an opening, not shown, which receives the pin 25. The support 38 also has an arcuate opening 4% curved on a radius from the center of the opening which receives pin 25. The opening 48 receives a screw 49 for adjustably securing support 38 on plate 24. The stationary contact 40 is carried by flange 44. The flange 46 has a part 50 secured thereto by rivet 52. The part 50 is formed of a suitable insulating material and has its free end notched to be received in an aperture, now shown, in support 38 so the part 52 will be rigid relative to the support.

The breaker arm or lever assembly 42, which is fully disclosed in the Nichols et al. Patent 2,658,129, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, includes a breaker arm 54, a movable contact 56, a rubbing block 58, a breaker arm spring 60 and a sleeve 26 of insulating material. These parts are arranged as shown so the contact 56 on one end of the arm 54 will engage the stationary contact 40 when the sleeve 26 is in position on pin 25. The rubbing block 58 is positioned so it Will engage the distributor cam to cause contacts 56 and 40 to separate. The spring 60 has one of its ends secured to the arm 42 at the rubbing block 58. The spring is curved so it embraces the portion of the lever 62 which secures the sleeve 26. The other end of the spring is preferably notched so it may be secured to part 50 by a bolt 64 which is tightened by the metal fastener 66.

It is to be noted that when the service part assembly is detached from the breaker plate, the only point of attachment between the arm assembly 42 and the support 38 is clo ekwise in Fig. 2 by thetension of spring 60. This diam'etera's the contacts 49 and'56. 'The annulus is ofa' thickness greater than at least one of the contacts so the contacts will be held against lateral movement relative to each other as long as the annulus is in the'p'osition shown in Fig. 2. When the parts are in the free state thecontacts will thus be held in face-to-face engagement by the tension of spring 60 and the annulus 68. If desired, the annulus may have a projecting means 72 which may be grasped to facilitate the removal of the'annulus 68 from between the'fcontacts after the assembly is installed in a distributor.

Front-the above it is apparent the annulus 68 will maint'ain the contacts in alignment prior to the installation of the parts on a distributor plate. Thus'the factory preset tension of'the spring 60 will be maintained. Further.

when the" contacts are aligned, the respective openings in the support'plate 38 and sleeve '26 will be substantially 'aligne d so the assembly can be slipped over the pin 25 Without difficulty and without distorting the spring 6% to upset the factory calibration. Further as the end of the spring 65) is secured in position on the insulating part 50, parts may be readily installed in the distributor by first securing a bolt through opening 48 and then securing the primary ignition leads and the condenser leads with a nut, not shown, Which is threaded on the projecting portion of bolt 64 which extends beyond clip 66. This will require considerably less time in replacing breaker points in a distributor as when the contact support 38 and breaker arm 42 were furnished as separate parts.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be under- "stood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

In a replacement breaker point assembly for a distributor having a movable breaker plate with a pivot pin extending from the plate and attached thereto, the combination comprising; a contact support plate adapted for assembly to the breaker plate and having two spaced upwardly extending flanges thereon, a stationary contact mounted on and carried'by one of said flanges, a breaker arm, a movable'contact carried by one end ofsaid breaker arm, a curved and calibrated spring attached to said breaker arm in spaced relation to said movable contact and connected to the other of said flanges on said support plate for urging the movable contact into predetermined pressure engagement with the fixed contact and acting as the sole means of'support for the breaker arm with respect to said plate, said breaker arm having a pivot opening spaced from said movable contact and in alignment with an opening in the support plate, said pivot opening and said opening in the support plate being adapted to pass over said pivot pin when the support plate is assembled to the breaker plate for pivotally mounting the breaker arm on the pivot pin, and'removable means for maintaining alignment between the movable and stationary contacts and between said pivot opening and said opening in said support plate, said means con sisting of an annulus of rigid material wherein the an nulus is sized to have an inner opening of "substantially the same diameter as that'of said contacts to pass over and simultaneously embrace the outer surfaces of the movable and stationary contacts when the contacts are held in engagement by the spring, said means being disposable when the support plate is assembled to the breaker plate With'the breaker arm mounted on said pivot pin.

References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

